Out out on a school night? Charity event at The Purple Turtle on Monday

ON MONDAY, The Purple Turtle in Reading will host a Charity Festival Night to raise money for the Meningitis Research Foundation.

The event at the Gun Street venue is organised by Jodie Harrison, a pharmacy student at the University of Reading, and NHS worker.

It aims to raise awareness and funds for the foundation to help fight against meningitis.

It will feature DJs, singers, and performers in two rooms, including Goldenboii, Hamez, DJ Remy Jones, Sidious, Nick Clev, Br4vo, Jessie Hilley, and 4GFingaz, among others.

Gourmet Queens will be serving up loaded nachos in the outdoor space.

In addition, there will be a raffle with 12 prizes, including a voucher for a three-course dinner in Miller & Carter, 25% off a booking fee when booking a holiday with chooseachallenge.com, a yoga wellbeing set from Yoga

With Emma,and a chocolate hamper from Rosie’s Chocolate Factory. The raffle tickets cost £1 per strip.

The event costs £2 per ticket, plus a £1 fee.

And it’s not the only fundraiser that the organiser is planning.

Ms Harrison said: “I am a pharmacy student at the University of Reading, while working for the NHS.

“In August this year, I am going to completely push myself to trek the largest free-standing mountain the world - Mount Kilimanjaro.”

The trek will take seven days, and she will camp in altitudes of nearly 6000m.

“Wind, snow, rain, but worst of all, no phone signal,” she joked.

“I am doing this to raise money for meningitis and Meningitis Research Foundation.

“Working in health care,

I have seen the devastating effects meningitis can bring.

“It is the world’s sixth biggest infectious disease killer, with children and students being its biggest at-risk group.

“It kills more people than malaria AND HIV combined. Only one in 10 of those who catch this deadly disease will survive... and those that do, will more than likely be left with a disability.”

Ms Harrison said the charity’s goal is to end meningitis by 2030.

“Your donations will help drive towards this goal, and help to aid treatment and prevention, such as vaccination,” she said, adding that the World Health Organisation declare smallpox eradicated in 2015.

“Let’s do the same with meningitis and let’s do it together. Let’s drink cocktails and raise money for charity.”